Egypt: opposition coalition rejects election road map

Egypt's National Salvation Front, the main coalition that backed former president Mohamed Morsi's overthrow, has denounced a decree which invests the new interim president with extensive powers and sets a new election schedule.

Malaysian Islamist protesters hold posters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi during a protest to oppose the military overthrow of the Islamist leader and subsequent killings in Egypt, outside the Egyptian embassy in Kuala Lumpur Photo: AFP/Getty Images

"The National Salvation Front announces its rejection of the constitutional decree," it said in a statement.

The coalition, which was led by Mohamed ElBaradei until his appointment as vice president in the new government, complained of a lack of consultation before the charter was adopted.

"We call for it to be amended and will propose our own amendments to the president," the group added.

Earlier, the grassroots Tamarod campaign which organised the mass protests that led to Mr Morsi's overthrow, also complained it had not been consulted on the transition plan.

Tamarod spokesman Mahmud Badr said the movement would itself make proposals for changes to the blueprint, which as well as outlining the new president's powers lays out a timetable for the transition period that is to last around six months until presidential elections are held.